Five Hundred and One Years
by Kaggerz
Summary: She vanished from Sengoku Jidai in thin air, after the completion of the jewel. Now, five hundred and one years later, the hanyou finds himself at her doorstep. But, things are never that easy for these two. Will he ever have his schoolgirl by his side?
1. 501 Years Later

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha or any Inu-Yasha-related characters. I only own the plot, which I have been playing with for a while.**

**Author's Note: I know I have other fanfics started, but Alternate Universe fanfics aren't as fun as ones that follow the plot. And the other one was kinda creepy.. Also, it's been so long that I have forgotten the plots to my others. But this, I haven't forgotten.. So, here goes another fanfic by Kaggerz, and I promise I'll update.**

**It's a bit short, but think of it as the prologue.**

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_He never thought he could achieve such elation, yet indecision, at the same time. It was finally over. The journey from the Mushin Domain, throughout the land of Japan, to search for the broken pieces of a glowing pink ball, was finally ending. His friends stood behind him, slightly to the left, if the scent wafting in the breeze was any indication. The scent of wolves was mixed in with his comrades' scent, serving as a constant reminder as to why the schoolgirl was not directly by his side, even though he held the complete Shikon no Tama in the palm of his tanned hand._

_No.. He was only fooling himself. It was not because of the one he called "wimpy wolf" that she stayed behind him. It was because of the torn miko clothes, dulled from the amount of ash ingrained in its fibers, that was crumbled a few feet in front of him. The scent of death was strong there, but only from the rightful decay of his past lover's sacrifice. That was what kept the schoolgirl, the fallen's reincarnation, from coming to loop her arm through his and gaze upon the group's conquest. _

_The wolf had given his shards from his legs, reluctantly, when the young, male taijiya perished to purify the sacred jewel. The young taijiya's sister still sobbed over his lifeless body, while the monk comforted her, arms wound respectfully around her shoulders. However, his death meant the completion of the Shikon no Tama, and the defeat of the most sinister and powerful villain in Japan– Naraku. _

_He finally turned to face the schoolgirl, tearing his eyes away from the miko kimono in front of him. Later, he would collect the clothing and ashes to return it to an elder miko's hut, his former-lover's once-resting-place. But for now, he would face the schoolgirl from the future, and show her the purified jewel.. A jewel that both her and the fallen miko purified together. _

_Her hazel eyes were glazed with tears, and her ripped school uniform hung shredded from her arms, one of which was fisted at her breast, like she was feeling for the vial of shards that prevoiusly hung around her neck, glowing whenever she needed the reassurance that she and he were connected. As her watery eyes locked with his soft, golden ones, he silently took the Shikon no Tama in his thumb and forefinger and raised it before her. It glowed even brighter with purity, making her orbs sparkle with pigments of color, while the wolf stepped closer to her side, his right and left hand men standing behind him with a small pack of non-humanoid wolves. _

"_It's over.." The schoolgirl breathed out, her voice thick with emotion. Was she happy it was over, or sad that she had no real purpose in his world anymore? What would this mean for their connection?_

"_Yeah," he replied, his own voice just as thick. For now, no one spoke of what the Shikon no Tama would be used for, though the female taijiya punctuated the silence with her choked sobs. _

_Slowly, the schoolgirl held out her hand, looking at the sacred jewel. He pressed it into her palm, and her fingers curved around the edge of his hand, lightly holding their palms together, while wisps of light shone from between their skin, emitted from the Shikon no Tama. The wolf's mouth snarled a bit defensively, though he allowed the contact, silently thinking about the mental state of his "woh-man." _

_The Shikon light flashed in their hands, and he felt a bit of heat that was not present before. Then, it was gone. _

_And so was her hand._

_Her body quickly became translucent, until he could barely make her out, and he called out her name, confused and suddenly very fearful. The wolf jumped, startled, and demanded to know what the "inu-koro" did._ _Her eyes were wide and full of fear, yet she did not seem as surprised as he was._

"_I love–"_

_And with that unfinished declaration, she was gone from Sengoku Jidai forever, and so was the Shikon no Tama's light, though the jewel itself remained ._

That was five-hundred years ago.

He was currently in a large house with the wolf youkai, a kitsune he deemed his surrogate son long ago, and a pre-teen boy. He could not help but dwell on the past, as he stood before a mirror in his bedroom, fixing his past-the-waist-long, silver hair back in a ponytail at the nap of his neck. He had waited so long, hundreds of years, for this moment.

He would see her again today.

"Inu-Yasha.. Is everything ready?" A man with a long, red ponytail leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed around his chest. A long, fox-like tail caressed his leg absent-mindedly, though his green eyes gave off the sense that he was very excited about the upcoming event. Inu-Yasha slanted a glance in his direction, then again at the mirror, trying to make sure that he was perfect for the upcoming encounter.

"Almost," he muttered in reply. "Is that wimpy wolf and ningen all set?"

"Yeah, Kouga's pacing in the living room, and Mirai claims he's almost to a save point on his video game."

"Which means it could be a while." Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes, tugging the band from his hair to let it loose down his back. The schoolgirl always did like his hair.. So, it should only make sense that it was not restrained, for her.

"That's true." The kistune smiled, the tip of a fang poking out of the corner of his mouth. Shifting to stand away from the doorframe, he glanced Inu-Yasha up and down, noticing that he had not changed very much over the years. His hair was slightly more tame, ever since the invention of indoor plumbing and inexpensive brushes, but still held it's massive body and natural shine. The only notable differences in Inu-Yasha's present state was his baggy red hoodie and an equally baggy pair of black pants, which almost covered his sneakers. His ears still twitched atop his head, though the hat in his clawed right hand indicated that it would not be long before they were hidden from the public's view.

"Are you nervous?" The kitsune suddenly blurted out, startled as the man quickly snapped his head around to face him.

"Why the fuck should I be nervous?" He growled, slamming the hat onto his head, therefore messing up his neatly-combed hair.

"I think you are. Don't worry.. She'll come back with us. She loves us." The kitsune's eyes took on a glassy, sentimental look, and he lowered himself onto the edge of the inu hanyou's bed, brushing off imaginary pieces of lint from his baby blue sweater.

"Keh! I know that, Shippou. But how do we know she even still remembers us?" Inu-Yasha scooped a small box off of his drawer and shoved it roughly into his pocket.

"Because we still remember her, after five hundred long years. It's been only a few years for her."

"Then why do I feel such dread in my stomach?" Inu-Yasha mumbled, his hand still fisted in his pocket. He shook his head roughly, then swiftly crossed the room and out the door with only a few, long strides.

It had been five hundred years for him, waiting on his schoolgirl. Almost five hundred and one.. But three years for the girl. Being a half-youkai, he was able to live for much longer than a human, like the one in his living room, without aging horribly. By human standards, he would probably be in his mid-thirties, while the "wimpy wolf", Kouga, would probably be in his late twenties, perhaps thirty, even though he was much older than the hanyou. Being a full-blooded youkai, Kouga would live almost twice as long as Inu-Yasha, as would Shippou, although the kitsune only appeared to be nineteen or twenty. But that was understandable, seeing as he was only a small child five hundred years ago.

This was why the group had not gone after the girl as soon as the correct amount of years had passed since her disappearance. She would have only been seventeen then, and with him and Kouga being older now, it would have been a bit disturbing, not to mention illegal. Of course, youkai were probably illegal in general, but the few that survived the wars over the hundreds of years were intelligent enough to hide their distinguishing attributes

Inu-Yasha and Shippou entered the living room to see Kouga nervously fidgeting beside a long couch, a human male sitting on it and playing some sort of samurai game on a PlayStation 2.

"About damn time, Inu-koro," Kouga scoffed, clad in a pair of loose khaki pants and a black T-shirt. His hair was pulled back in the ponytail he claimed as his style as a pup, and like Inu-Yasha, his only feature changes were the hardening and more defining of his facial features, and a slightly colder look to his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Mirai, are you done with that damn game yet?"

"Almost," mumbled the pre-teen male absent-mindedly. Inu-Yasha narrowed his eyes and stomped over to the PS2, then proceeded to roughly rank on the cord until the screen went black.

"O-oi! I didn't get a chance to save and I was almost done with that level!" cried Mirai, springing to his feet and tossing the controller to the side. He looked a lot like Miroku, having hair almost identical to his, though he had Sango's soft eyes. It was obvious he was a direct descendent of Miroku and Sango, though five hundred years down the line. Luckily, the family had stayed close with Inu-Yasha, and when Mirai's parents, like Miroku and Sango, deceased, he gained guardianship. Though, he did not claim him as his son.. Just his charge to watch over, like Shippou was through the hundreds of years.

"Tough. This is much more important. Now get up. And you two," he turned to the youkai, "tuck your tails in and let's get a move on."

* * *

Shortly afterwards, the group found themselves in front of an apartment, gazing up at a third story window in wonder. "And this is where she lives, right?" Shippou questioned, trying to feel the uneasy silence.

Inu-Yasha swallowed and curtly nodded. "Yeah, we tracked her over the years and her latest address is here."

"So, are you going to go inside already, or sit out in the car and watch?" Mirai commented with a yawn, reclined in the backseat with Shippou.

"Shut up, kid," Inu-Yasha rumbled, cutting off the ignition of the Infiniti. "We're going already."

The four exited the car slowly, the hanyou and youkai taking in deep breaths to calm racing hearts caused by the excitement of the upcoming confrontation. As soon as the group reached the door, however, they all broke into a sprint up the stairs, complete with immature shoving and fighting up all three flights. Once they reached the top, they stood there, panting, for a moment, staring at the _126_ on the door before them.

_Her_ apartment number..

Mirai stared at the youkai, then shook his head at the reluctance they held towards rapping a knuckle against the flimsy, wooden door. "Oh, pul-lease. Don't tell me you guys can't even knock." He sighed, then turned and slammed his foot against the door a few times. The three others jumped, startled at the sudden, loud noise, and Shippou pulled him roughly back.

"Don't you think that was a little loud?"

"How else was she supposed to hear?"

"He's right.. Someone's coming from inside," Inu-Yasha stiffened, his ears visibly flexing from under his hat. The doorknob creaked for a moment, then the click of a lock being undone was heard. The door was slowly pulled in, and a person was visible on the other side, wearing a crisp white dress shirt and looking rather energetic and fresh.

The scent caused Inu-Yasha's heart to break for the hundredth time..

Because the human _man_ in the crisp white shirt at the door held the unmistakable scent of the schoolgirl all over him.

"Can I help you?" asked the man, blinking innocent hazel eyes.

"You.." Kouga growled, before Shippou held up a hand.

"Akitoki? He looks like Houjou, Akitoki.."

"That guy with that cursed sword?" Inu-Yasha inquired, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Um, excuse me.." the man cut in. "How do you know my family's name? I am Houjou."

"An ancestor.." Shippou whispered low enough for Inu-Yasha's hanyou hearing to pick up, drawing another scoff from the hanyou.

It was then that they heard it.

_Her_ voice..

"Houjou-san, who's at the door?" She came into view behind him, a vision of beauty in each of the male's eyes. She wore a simple, green dress, though it was very short, like the skirts she had worn in Sengoku Jidai every day. Her hair was waist-length and her bangs slightly more ruly, though they still held the teased look that her incarnation lacked. She peered past Houjou, to the group congregated outside her door. Each had their eyes locked on hers, boring into her very soul.

She only smiled softly, her eyes confused and unfamiliar.

"Ka.. Kagome.." Inu-Yasha choked out, becoming oblivious to everything but the woman he loved five hundred years ago. A woman who's picture still hung around his neck, with his, in a tiny golden locket shaped like a heart.

Then she said it. The sentence that broke his heart all over again. The inquiry that scattered the shards of his life even further that the shards of the Shikon no Tama they once searched tediously for.

"How do you know my name?"

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**Author's Note: Yes, I had to let you go on a cliff-hanger.. Which is why everything else up to this point was so drawn out. The first chapter was destined to end there. And when will the second chapter be up? Sometime before the weekend, I promise.**


	2. Good Friends Kidnap One Another

_**Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own Inu-Yasha or any Inu-Yasha-related characters. It's called FANfiction because I am, in fact, a fan. Or else I would not even be writing this. e.e;**_

_**Author's Note: Yeah, I know the update is late, but I recently got grounded (for a month or so), so I have an excuse. Actually, I don't. I forgot this fanfic existed at all.. I only remembered it today when I was speaking to a classmate of mine about my fanfiction. I would like to thank everyone who's reviewed; it really means a lot to me. And I would like to especially thank Suaru, who has followed just about all of my fanfics and left reviews! You get a virtual cookie! Arigatou! I only still hope I have you as a supporter.  
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His heart stopped cold and he felt the world turn black for a moment.

"Kagome?" Shippou's voice came from his right, but he barely noticed. Instead, he only saw her slipping away again. That vacant look in her eyes.. It reminded him of how Kikyou had looked at him before she had been filled with Kagome's soul. The clay Kikyou body had only sat against the stone wall, gazing at him with no recollection of their past, just as Kagome stared at him now. She looked confused and a bit defensive, like she really did not remember any of their adventures. "Do you really not remember us?"

"I'm sorry.. Have we met before?" Her smile was apologetic, though she seemed to be racking her mind for any possible place she could have seen the group before.

Kouga seemed as quiet as Inu-Yasha, Shippou noticed, glancing to see the wolf with the same, pained expression in his eyes as the hanyou. Was the five hundred year wait for nothing? His throat felt tight, but he decided to speak on behalf of the group anyway, deeming the others useless. "Maybe.." here he cleared his throat and willed tears away. "Maybe you don't remember us because we look kinda different now. But it was a few years ago for you.."

Kagome gasped and Houjou's gaze hardened. He had seemed so passive before, but the subtle glare in his eyes mirrored the protective gaze Inu-Yasha held when he first saw Houjou.

"But I was–"

"Go away." Houjou stated calmly, though his words held a quiet venom usually unheard from in the male. And with that, he promptly slammed the door in their faces.

Inu-Yasha and Kouga snapped out of it with the sudden noise and growled. Inu-Yasha pulled back his fist, ready to smash the door down, while Mirai jumped in front of his target, arms spread wide.

"Are you crazy? Do you want to be arrested, Inu-Yasha?" The boy snapped, his head craned back to glare up at the hanyou.

"Shut up! A door isn't going to stand between me and Kagome! After all this time.. All this time.." He looked down, his bangs overshadowing his golden orbs. "I won't give up!"

"Stop your barking, Inu-koro. You know she means more to me than you. We won't give up.. We'll just come back later, to avoid a run-in with the police for disturbing the peace, or a domestic disturbance." Kouga commented, already turning to walk down the stairs again. Inu-Yasha kept his fists balled to his sides, his claws digging into his palms and producing small rivets of blood, but slowly turned and followed behind the wolf.

Shippou sighed heavily, dragging his gaze away from the door. "It's just as impossible to get through as the Bone Eater's Well was. For so long, we tried. Inu-Yasha even slept in it for a few nights.. And here we are again, at the Bone Eater's Well. Only this time, it's a door, and the only magic is how she could forget us."

Mirai stared at Shippou, not sure what to say to that, for quite some time. He had always heard stories of his ancestors; it was pretty much ingrained into his ball of thought. He knew of Miroku and Sango, of their adventures with Kagome, Inu-Yasha, and Shippou, as well as the legend of the Shikon no Tama. Of course, he would much rather forget all of that and live his own life, here in the present. But, no matter how much he wanted to leave the talk about youkai and magical jewels behind, he could not help but feel pride to know his ancestors once defeated the most powerful youkai to ever exist. And he was living with three of the youkai that fought beside them! Present or Sengoku Jidai, that was still pretty amazing to the preteen boy.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to get through, Shippou," was all Mirai could come up with. Shippou managed a half-smile and pat Mirai on the shoulder, the two starting back down the stairs.

"You're getting more and more like Miroku everyday, with all that optimism."

* * *

"_Inu-Yasha.. Will you get out of there? Even if you did manage to get through, you haven't had a bath in weeks! You smell like a _dog!"_ The rings of a staff jingled as a houshi impatiently paced in front of the Bone Eater's Well. _

"_Keh!" Came the only response, though it sounded pained to the monk. The staff halted for a moment and a sigh issued from the owner. Then, a large rock preceded to be tossed into the dry well. "O-oi!" Inu-Yasha yelped after the rock landed squarely on his head. "That hurt, you know!"_

"_Good. Perhaps it will knock some sense into that thick skull of yours. This is getting you no where, Inu-Yasha. Kagome-sama would not have wanted you to waste away in a cramped space full of dirt." He sighed again, then sat with his back resting against the wooden side of the well, his staff resting across his lap. "We all miss her dearly.. But if you die down there, you will never see her again."_

"_I will when I'm reincarnated," Inu-Yasha muttered softly. For a long time after that, the only sounds were the shifting of his robes as he tried to find a more comfortable spot. For a moment, he thought his houshi companion had gotten up to leave; perhaps to go make sure his wife was properly impregnated. It made him depressed further, these thoughts. The schoolgirl should have been his mate after everything was finally over.._

"_That is like saying Kagome is really Kikyou, Inu-Yasha. They were very different.. She is not Kikyou any longer, as you would not be Inu-Yasha any longer if you died." That seemed to be the response the hanyou was looking for, as he bound from the well with a single jump and landed silently beside the houshi. "I know you will see her again." _

"_How do you know, Miroku?" Inu-Yasha sighed, crouched over in his classic "dog" pose: squatting with his knees bent and his palms placed flat on the ground in front of him. _

_Miroku flicked the rosary around Inu-Yasha's neck, the corner of his mouth raising in a smile. "You are bound to her, remember? Just do not give up."_

* * *

"I won't give up, Kagome. I promise," Inu-Yasha vowed in the cover of darkness. He looked as he did in the nights at Sengoku Jidai, when an unsuspecting youkai would come after the group's campsite, only to find an immensely protective hanyou perched in a tree, the wind sweeping his kimono and long, silver hair to the side, creating quite the frightening silhouette. The only difference now was that the hanyou was seated on the railing of Kagome's short balcony, and his clothing was too fitted to waft in the breeze with his silvery tendrils.

Inu-Yasha slowly set his feet down on the concrete of the balcony, gently tapping the toe of his shoe on it at first, as if to test the steadiness of the firm slab. Once he had his leg steady, and his plans semi-thought out, he prepared to enter through the sliding glass door and kidnap Kagome right out from under Houjou. It would be difficult, but the rag concealed in his pocket should be enough to keep her out cold.

He had so many questions about what could have possibly possessed Kagome to forget the Inu-tachi, Sengoku Jidai, _and_ live with the pathetic excuse for a human. Hopefully, she could give him the answers he deserved.

Sighing, he pulled back the glass sliding door, surprised to find it unlocked. Of course, on the third floor, he could see how it was improbable that an intruder would be able to climb the slick surface of the apartment siding. Well, other than beings with superhuman attributes, like him. All it took was a simple leap, and he was gracefully on the balcony, after all.

Inu-Yasha stepped inside and glanced around quickly, his golden orbs seeming to glow in the darkness. The living room he was in seemed average enough; a television was against the wall, a rocker in the corner, a couch opposite the TV, and two end tables on either side, with a small coffee table in front. He stepped around all of this, then stealthily made his way down a short hall at the other corner of the room, keeping to the shadows. As he approached a bedroom, he spotted two silhouettes in the darkness, like two lumps on a bed, and his youkai blood boiled. Five hundred years had passed, however, and in those years with periods of peaceful living, he had learned to manage his anger a little better. He no longer had the urge to go through the door and quickly rip Houjou's still-beating heart right out of his chest.

Well.. Okay, so he did still have that urge.

But he was not going to act on it. Not for his plan to work..

What he did next was quite simple; a little too simple for his taste. It was something he could be arrested and jailed for, if he was ever caught. But he was confident that the Kagome he once knew would shine through, and he would be able to pretend this never happened. He just pulled the rag out, clasped it over the young woman's face, and held it there until he was sure she would not stir when he plucked her from her warm bed. Houjou was turned the other direction, sleeping on his side with the covers pulled up to his nose. The hanyou was glad for this.. He would not have liked to see Houjou with his arms around _his_ Kagome.

With Kagome in his arms, the hanyou vacated the apartment the same way he entered, grinning as he looked down at Kagome's beautiful sleeping face. She looked so peaceful, like the many times he had carried her unconscious body close to his chest. Like the time he almost lost her to Hakudoushi when he went after a rumor about Kikyou..

* * *

_Kagome smiled slightly, lying in the grass in front of Inu-Yasha, her eyes still half-closed. "That's right.. You came for me.. Inu-Yasha.." She weakly muttered, causing his ears to twitch, clearly hearing every syllable. _

"_Yeah.. I'm sorry.." he mumbled back, looking tired and apologetic. "Since I wasn't there.."_

_Kagome slowly sat up, cutting him off, "It's okay, really."_

"_It's not okay!" Inu-Yasha shouted, his temper flaring up, since she seemed so calm. One of them had to be angry, after all, and if she was not going to be upset that he almost let her die, he was going to be upset for her. "I put you in danger!"_

_Kagome still had the small smile on her face. "Well.. If you happen to hear a clue about Kikyou, you'll leave, won't you?"_

"_I won't go! I won't leave your side again!"_

_Still smiling, though her eyes turning soft and sad, Kagome replied, "Liar."_

* * *

'I did lie, didn't I?' Inu-Yasha thought sadly, shifting the woman in his arms as he bound across the roof tops back to his residence. The thin fabric of her nightgown allowed him to feel the softness of her skin; something he had missed dearly. He tucked her head under his chin, the hand supporting her shoulders coming up to tangle in her ebony hair. She looked as beautiful as she always had and it made his heart ache. Why did things have to go so wrong?

The hanyou finally reached his destination and dropped to the front door, opting to not sneak inside. The lights on inside only proved that his group was still awake, probably engaged in an important video game tournament with Mirai. After half a millennium spent gathering money and supplies and selling off antiques, they had more than enough money to sit back and relax. He shifted his bundle enough to open the door, then kicked it swiftly, causing it to fly open. Stepping forward, he called out towards the living room, "Oi!"

"Nani?" Mirai called back without looking, entranced in a racing game with the other two. That is, until he noticed the other cars crashing into a wall and heard the thud of controllers being dropped.

"Kagome!" Shippou and Kouga cried out in unison, leaping over furniture to get to Inu-Yasha and his charge.

"You took her?" Mirai asked, amazed. "Do you know what's going to happen when that guy finds her missi–.."

"Who cares?" Inu-Yasha cut in, pulling her protectively to his chest, then stepping past the other two youkai to set her on the couch.

"Kagome.." Kouga breathed, leaning over the back of the couch, his voice thick with emotion. "Inu-koro.. What do we do now? She didn't even remember us.."

"I know she will. She will remember us," Inu-Yasha stubbornly stated.

"I missed her," Shippou said, sitting on the couch, next to her side. "She was always like a mother to me.."

"Uh..." a sound issued from the sleeping woman.

"She's waking up," Mirai blinked, getting up off the floor to go over to the couch. "Don't you think all this is going to weird her out?"

Kagome's hazel eyes slowly fluttered open, her face scrunching up in disgust at the overhead light. Inu-Yasha and the rest only stared down at her, watching her slow stir into the land of consciousness, like they had many times in Sengoku Jidai. "Hnn..." She looked confused for a moment, before her eyes snapped open and she jerked violently, causing her to fall from the couch. "Kyaah! What do you want from me!" she cried out, kicking at the floor in a frenzy to put distance between herself and the group. The scent of fear clung to her.

Kouga shoved Inu-Yasha out of his way, coming to crouch in front of Kagome. "It's okay; we're not going to hurt you! We just want to talk!"

Kagome, untrusting, screamed again. Mirai ran up to her and clamped a hand over her mouth, making shushing noises.

"Don't you want to know how we know your name?" Mirai inquired in her ear, shaking her slightly. Kagome quieted, her curiosity getting the better of her. "We just want to talk, I promise. If these were bad people, why would they have a kid anyway?"

"Maybe you're all sick," Kagome muttered, trying to pull her nightgown further down in a semi-state of disgust, her face rosy.

Inu-Yasha scoffed, removing his jacket and tossing it onto the woman. She quickly pulled it to her chest, eyes darting from person to person. "..You said you knew me a few years ago," she mumbled.

"Yeah, we did," Shippou replied, moving closer to look into her eyes. She did not recoil away from him, finding some sort of comfort and familiarity in his innocent emerald orbs. "Don't you remember any of it?"

"...No. I-I'd really like to go home now; I don't want to talk about it." Kagome pushed herself up and spotted the door, proceeding to sprint for it while holding Inu-Yasha's jacket to herself. Inu-Yasha beat her to it, successfully blocking off her escape route. She suddenly stopped, bumping into his chest hard. "We're done talking.. You guys said you wouldn't hurt me, so let me go home!"

"We're _not_ done talking," Inu-Yasha simply stated, his golden eyes hard like they were with so many previous arguments. Her eyes suddenly mirrored his, and she looked exactly as she had when they traveled side-by-side throughout Japan.

"Yes, we _are_!" Kagome's sudden burst startled Mirai, who had just seen her cower before the group moments before.

Shippou leaned down, grinning, and whispered, "Even if she doesn't remember, they still act the same."

Inu-Yasha narrowed his eyes, uncrossing his arms from his classic pose and resting his hands on her shoulders. She was caught off-guard and shoved at his chest, futilely trying to detatch him. "H-hey!"

"Why did he close the door on us?"

"Huh?" Kagome blinked at the soft question from the silver-haired man.

"That man.. Your lover or whatever.. Why did he close the door on us?"

"He was.. trying to protect me.. I always get upset when I talk about then.."

"Why?" Kouga asked from behind her. She shook her head, dropping her gaze from the hanyou's face, to his feet.

"I can't remember.. I was always sick, he said. I was hardly at school, so the illness took my memories.. Yet, no one can fill in the blanks."

"Oh, Kagome.." Inu-Yasha breathed, releasing her shoulders.

"There's two years missing from my life.."

"But, we knew you!" Shippou interjected. "We can fill–" he was cut-off by Mirai stepping in front of him and asking, "You really don't remember?"

"No. I'm really sorry if we were good friends. The only thing I know is I had a 'jealous, two-timing, violent' boyfriend and that didn't seem that great for my health.."

"Have you been sick since then?" Mirai questioned in a contemplative state.

"Well.. no. It was the final illness that took away my memories. I just woke up by the Goshinboku and thought I was fifteen.. Look, I really want to go home.."

"Couldn't we talk some more? We _were_ good friends back then and I'd like to know what happened.." Inu-Yasha pleaded with his eyes, still blocking her passage.. trying desperately to keep her in his life.

"It's late.. and I'd.. I'd really like to go home.."

"Will you come back tomorrow? We could go get some coffee or something."

"But, Houjou-san.."

"Please, Kagome," Inu-Yasha held her gaze for a long time, while she wondered how he could get such unique eyes.. Or why it hurt so much to see the glassy, glazed look they held.

"Alright. Come back by tomorrow afternoon."

He stepped from her path, allowing her enough room to get to the door. Glancing back, she saw the forlorn expressions of the others and knew that somehow, they were telling the truth. "Keep the jacket on," Inu-Yasha offered, noticing that the wind was rather cold. "Would you like a ride back?"

Kagome pondered for a moment how easily she was plucked from her bed and wondered if it was a good idea to go anywhere with him. By all means, she should not be so calm! She should be screaming and running from the house in a state of barely-alive shock. Afterall, Houjou will be worried sick to find her missing!

Yet.. Something just felt right. She could not place it, but knew that she was safe with this group of what was once her friends.

"How far away are we?"

"Just a couple of blocks away.." He gestured to the left, "Go that way. You should know where you are, though."

"Oh, I pass by here almost every day," Kagome nodded, though a chill went up her spine. _What if these people had been stalking her.. What if that's how they knew her name?_

"Uh, I can walk. It's okay, really!" A little uneasy, yet still collected, Kagome waved her hand and bound down the stairs, turning once to see the group congregated outside to watch her walk away. Once again, they looked so melancholy.. They were not stalkers.

Inu-Yasha waited until the girl was out-of-sight and then bound onto a nearby roof, proceeding to jump from roof to roof in the cover of darkness.

"Where's he going?" Mirai asked, though was already walking back inside to his video games.

"Inu-Yasha always made sure Kagome was okay.. He's probably following her home to make sure she's safe." Shippou replied.

Kouga snorted, putting an arm behind his head, and retreating to his room for the night.

"That was unproductive," Mirai commented, tossing Shippou a controller.

"Why did you cut me off anyway?"

"Because you _can't_ fill her in on her missing memories. She would never believe you and think you're crazy!"

"I guess we have to hope she'll remember us sooner or later, then.." Shippou mused, gazing at a nearby window. _And that Inu-Yasha doesn't do anything too stupid before then.._


	3. Glazed Donut

_**Disclaimer: I'm a fan, this is a **_**fan**_**fic. Do the math.**_

_**A/N: I like this story a lot, so I would like to continue it. My other story doesn't get many reviews, but hey, I don't blame the readers. It's mostly for my friends, so the OC's are coming out of the walls, it seems. But I think this one has the potential to be as great as **_**Broken Hearts Change Nice Girls.

* * *

**

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

Kagome groaned, turning over in her comfortable bed to slap at her alarm clock. Once the _Snooze_ button depressed, she returned to her fetal position on her side of the bed, covers pulled to her forehead to filter the siren call of the rays of sunlight from her window. She had the strangest dream last night.. Something about a man with silver hair and dog ears.. His face had been stunning and rough, though she could not remember it for the life of her. And he had seemed so confident, so strong.

There had been trees.. Wisps of mist shrouded the area, giving it a serene, unearthly appeal. She had felt melancholy in her dream, like something ongoing had just come to an end.

"'Morning, Higurashi!" Houjou's warm voice drove away the remnants of her dream. Even after three years of dating, he still called her by her last name, trying to be respectful. She peeled back the covers slightly to look over at her significant other, trying to force a smile as she tried to remember anything about her previous thoughts.

Nothing.

The dream was gone, but the sense of sadness was still there. And there had been someone strong, protecting her.. It almost felt like he still was, but gods, she could not recall anything else but the feelings.

"Ohayo, Houjou-san," she returned the greeting. He still grinned, his smile almost blinding, like the sunlight illuminating her bedroom. He was a morning person, as she had suspected when she was fourteen. Fifteen to seventeen, however, she had no idea..

"I have an early class today, but I left you some breakfast on the table," Houjou informed her, nursing a steaming cup of coffee. It smelled so delightful, like it was mostly cream and sugar. Kagome suddenly craved a cup of coffee..

_With that silver-haired man and his strangely-golden eyes.._

"Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly, memories of the night before flooding back. She had snuck back into her apartment after leaving her kidnapper's residence, using the key hidden on top of the doorframe to get inside. Once in, it was easy to replace the key and slip back into the soft covers beside her soundly-sleeping boyfriend.

"What is it?" Houjou inquired, instantly coming to her side, his eyes worried. He had seen her 'sick' so many times in the past that he feared everyday that she would slip back into her poor health.

"I, uh.."

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"I remembered I only hit Snooze!" she lied, silently thanking Kami for his mercy. Houjou flipped the switch to the Off position, then smoothed down some of Kagome's stray hairs.

She flinched.

Houjou blinked, though ignored it, choking it up to shudders from an upcoming illness. "Remember to take your vitamins, Higurashi. I'll see you after class." She nodded, and he was gone.

Slowly, Kagome pulled herself from the covers to make up her bed. Houjou was on his way to college; he was a pre-med student, but it was no surprise. He had studied her ailments often when he was younger, though she still had no memory of his medical sandals, healthy treats, and get-well-soon sutras. Kagome herself did not have the grades to get into college; she passed by the skin of her teeth, no matter how hard she studied.

Somehow.. She was just upset. All she got was a shaded version of her illnesses from her family.

The smell of coffee hit her again and she remembered that unique man. Yet, she could not even remember his name.

As she smoothed down the comforter, she glanced at her digital clock, the large, red numbers reading 9:30. _I told him to come by in the afternoon, but as far as I know, he's bound to show up one minute past noon._

Sighing softly, she made her way to the kitchen and looked over her breakfast. Chopped up strawberries, grapes, and a grapefruit half laid out on the plate, along with a fork. Beside the plate sat a glass of what she suspected was herbal tea and a small saucer of vitamins.

For once, just _once_, she wanted a glazed donut for breakfast.

Maybe she would get one at the coffee shop…

* * *

Inu-Yasha ran his clawed fingers through his hair for a moment, pausing in front of her apartment door. One hand, balled into a fist, was poised to knock, while the other remained tangled in his long, silver tendrils. He seemed focused on the solid, wooden object before him, a barrier keeping the past from the present.

_It's only a door, for Kami's sake!_

But it was much more than that. What if she rejected him? What if she really thought he was a crazy kidnapper? Kouga had angrily argued with him all morning, but finally agreed to stay home. The wolf prince may have been eager to see his "woh-man," but the males had agreed that Kagome needed to take slow, baby steps when it came to befriending them again. Kouga would see her next, then Shippou and Mirai.

_Five hundred and one years, dammit! Knock already! _

Gathering his courage, he yanked his claws from his hair, pulling out several tangled strands in the process, and knocked on the damn door.

Within a few seconds, his ears twitched to the sound of Kagome moving around inside her apartment. He warily watched the eye hole in the upper-center of the wood, knowing that she was probably watching him, making sure it was really him. After a moment he heard a soft rush of air: a sigh. She seemed relieved.

"Hi," Kagome greeted as she opened the door just enough for him to catch a glimpse of the couch he had stepped around the night before. He could not help but smirk at the memory; her human mate could not properly protect her.

"Hey," he gruffly replied as Kagome braced herself on the door frame with one hand, sliding her high heels on with the other. Like the day before, she wore a short dress, only it was baby blue instead of green. The woman was already all legs before, but the heels made them seem even more luscious and impossibly long.

"Inu-Yasha, was it..?" He looked up at the sound of his name and instantly colored. She had caught him staring at her more-adult form, although he had not been fantasizing like Mirai's ancestors would.. But it is not like she would believe that!

"Yeah. Inu-Yasha."

"Let's go, shall we?" Kagome asked, a soft smile on her face as she shouldered her simple purse. He only nodded and fell into step beside her, following her down the steps of the apartment complex and to the sidewalk, where she paused.

"Which one's your car?"

"I didn't drive here," he responded with a shrug. "I thought we could walk. We used to walk when we went shopping."

Kagome looked sad for a moment, her gaze drifting to her perfectly painted toes strapped in her painful heels. However, she nodded, and they set off for the coffee shop together.

After a block of walking in silence, she looked over at him, studying his defined profile. He was much taller than her, even with the heels, yet she felt protected and safe in his shadow. Somehow, if someone attacked her and tried to steal her purse, she felt she would not even utter a scream. Inu-Yasha would get it for her.

_And we used to walk together like this.. What were we?_

"How often did we take these walks?" Kagome suddenly asked, curious about her past actions. Inu-Yasha jarred slightly, broken from his contemplative state. He cleared his voice, stepping closer to her to avoid hitting the shoulder of a bystander; the downtown area was always crowded, even the sidewalks.

"We were always walking together," he began, thinking of their travels throughout Japan, all spanning from the Mushin Domain, "but we walked together like this whenever I came to visit you at home."

"Did I see you at other places?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Sometimes," he admitted, unsure about how much to reveal. A subject change was in order.. Anything to steer away from Sengoku Jidai and the quest to take down Naraku! "Who was that guy in your apartment yesterday?" _And in your bed,_ he mentally added.

"Houjou-san," she replied, though felt a twinge in her heart suddenly. What was that feeling? Guilt..?

"So you and Hobo are married?" His voice sounded tight, but Kagome could not place why.

"Houjou," she corrected almost absently. "Oh, no. We're just dating. We have been since high school.. And when I was sick. He said I would push myself to go on dates with him years ago, but always have to leave."

His blood almost boiled. Kagome.. dating this man while they were on the quest? Sure, he always went after Kikyou, but he never got to get angry with Kagome over Houjou..

_It's not like we were mated._ he chided himself mentally, nodding to show he heard Kagome's statement.

"The coffee shop is just ahead! Come on," Kagome suddenly exclaimed, filled with excitement she had exhibited since he knew her five hundred and one years ago. Her hand unexpectedly latched onto his fingers, pulling him along with her like she had when they shopped for _ninja food._ His chest tensed in pain, and his eyes turned crystalline for a moment. One blink and the gold was back to normal.

An overhead bell rang as the door was pushed in, and the two were assaulted by the refreshing smell of coffee beans and cream. Kagome dragged him to the counter, ordered her coffee (and glazed donut) happily, and waited for him to place his. But, before she could pull out her wallet, Inu-Yasha was there, holding out the money.

"I couldn't.." she shook her head, trying to push his handful of dollars back. He only replied with a 'keh!' and paid despite her protests.

The two sat down beside the window, both with a cup of steaming coffee before them. Throughout the years Inu-Yasha had watched this plain of existence change drastically. But, because of his youkai blood, he had been able to experience various bits of culture, such as the Western coffee his former self would have scoffed at after burning all the taste buds off his tongue.

And it _had_ really hurt, but that was about three hundred years ago.

"So, Kagome.. What have you been doing since your.. illness?"

"I was so behind in my studies that I could barely graduate.. Luckily, I was already in a high school that Houjou-san had gotten into. So, he helped me pass. I couldn't get into college, though.." She looked down in what seemed like shame and embarrassment and watched the swirling bits of off-white in the brown liquid before her.

Inu-Yasha had finally understood the importance of her "testous" and "school" when he saw the educated man prevail in society. The understanding had made him feel badly about his past actions.. And guilt became a rock in his gut. It was because of him that she could not get into college.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, once a rare admission from the hanyou. He straightened his cap and took a long sip of his coffee, not caring that it was still hot enough to burn.

"Oh, it's nothing.. I work in a children's hospital. I may not have the degree, but I still get to change bandages, read to the kids, bring them their food.. It makes me feel good. Maybe because I was in hospitals so much before. I guess.. I don't remember being in any." She looked up, as if struck by a sudden thought. "You said you knew me back then.. What was I like?"

Inu-Yasha almost choked on his coffee; admitting what he really thought of someone was never easy, even in the 'future.' But, if anyone knew Kagome, it was him. She always forced him to go save villagers being attacked by demons, even if there was no shard shining as a reward. Also, she was the first human since her incarnation to stand up to him, meet him word for word, and not be afraid.

She made him a good person.

"Well.. You were strong and stubborn, hot-headed and determined. But, you were always willing to help someone out in need, even if it was incredibly out of your way. You were just a good person, all around," he said slowly, his voice a low rumble. She only nodded, swallowing some of her coffee.

"I guess you knew me pretty well, huh," she said not in a query, but a contemplative statement. He nodded, thinking of how there was barely a day that he was without her.

"Kagome, I'd like you to get to know me again," he suddenly blurted, a bit surprised with himself. "Maybe you'll remember.."

"I'd like to remember." Kagome sipped her coffee eyeing him over the rim, then set down the mostly-finished drink. "Could you tell me your favorite memory of our friendship?"

"Uh.." He nervously trailed off, the image playing in his mind.

* * *

"_Osuwari!"_

_The purple beads and teeth strung around the hanyou's neck illuminated for a split second, the combination of the light and solemn, heated word causing his heart to sink deep into his stomach._

_Then, he was flattened against the ground almost instantly, his face crushed into the hard dirt and roots, while his legs flung in the opposite direction, cracking his spine in the sickening way he was so familiar with._

_For a moment, he just laid on the ground, letting the grass tickle his tanned cheek. His nose burned from the smashing impact, yet it was not broken._

_He wished it was, though.. Then, he could not smell the salt lingering in the air._

_Sighing as the subjugation spell began to lose effect, he shifted to look up from behind his thick bangs. There, the schoolgirl miko stood, shoulders squared despite their slight shaking as she desperately held back tears. Her eyes were watery, undoubtedly making her vision nothing but a blur of red splattered against green, but they still burned with a hot anger aimed directly at the unfortunate hanyou. It appeared that she bit down on her lower lip, trying to keep it from trembling, but he prayed to Kami for her to activate his rosary over and over, until he was nothing but a crater in front of her loafers._

_He felt he really deserved it._

"_How could you say something like that?" she finally choked out, her fingers curling into small fists at her bare thighs. _That skirt really is too short,_ he suddenly thought, cursing his jealousy for getting him into this mess._

_He remained silent, and she continued, her face glowing red. "Just because I don't want you killing Kouga-- my friend!-- doesn't mean I want to.. to.. 'rut' with him!"_

_The spell was completely worn off by now, yet the hanyou remained positioned on the ground, lying flat before her. She was the only person he would trust enough to be in such a defenseless position.. And, she was the one person that could purify him in an instant if she wished it to be so._

"_I don't accuse you of doing.. _that_.. to Kikyou every time you follow her into the woods for some alone time!" Kagome choked on a sob halfway through her exclamation, drawing Inu-Yasha's gaze back to the soil beneath his chin. He took in a sharp inhale, held the air, then slowly let it escape his lungs. Before she could utter another word, he was to his feet, dusting his fire-rat kimono off. _

"_I know that, Kagome.." He fixed his golden eyes on her wavering form, and she pressed her fist against her lips. It made him look down in shame. It was not that he actually believed that the schoolgirl was lusting after the wolf. No, her friendship with Kouga was pure, even if the prince did want to make her his woh-man. It was just.._

_He was jealous. Plain and simple. _

"_Can't you see?" she asked, drawing his gaze back to her face. Tears had spilled down her now-rosy cheeks, leaving warm streaks in their wake. "I promised to be by _your_ side! I'll always be by your side, even when you run off to _her!_ I would never want to be with anyone else!"_

_His eyes widened, and in a rare moment, he crushed her against his chest. The rosary beads dug into her cheek and the moisture marring them burned against his neck. He was fearful for a moment that he may crush her. Kagome wanted to always be with him.. He knew this, had known it for a long time, in fact. But he had always assumed her feelings were more short-term and empty._

"_Kagome.. I won't go again," he swore, just like he always did._

"_Don't make a promise you'll easily break," she chided, though he felt her lips curve in a soft smile at the prospect of him keeping it. Her shoulders had stopped shaking; she was calming down._

"_Kagome," he breathed her name, one arm tightening around her, while the other went further up, his claws resting in her ebony hair. She finally relaxed, her knees unlocking and her body supported solely by his embrace. Her hands fisted in the front of his kimono, while the haori's sleeves hid everything but the top of her head and her legs from view. An apology burned in his throat, but his pride held it in._

"_It's okay," she whispered, knowing him all too well. Over a year of traveling side-by-side gave her this insight. Kagome pulled away slightly, raising an arm to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. Inu-Yasha studied her face for any signs of lasting anger, but found none. _

_When she finally locked eyes with the hanyou, she smiled. It was not a forced, fake smile, like the ones she often gave him when she was beyond-angry or upset that he had gone after Kikyou again. No, it was a real, true smile. Those were the kind he so often received, but craved. She then reached her hand up to the top of his head, delicate fingers catching the side of his triangular ear between them. There was a cautious tweak, then a light scratch at the base when he only stared wide-eyed. After a moment, she got more courageous and began to use her whole hand to stroke and pet his left ear. It twitched beneath her fingers, but the calming sensation had the hanyou's eyes drooping, a smile involuntarily pulling his lips upward. _

_Kagome stopped to giggle at his expression, and the trance was broken. He snapped back into reality, narrowed his eyes, and loosened his hold, his hands falling to the small of her back. "We better get back to camp," she suggested as her laughter subsided. _

"_Yeah, that stupid bouzou is probably driving Sango nuts by now." He nodded along with his own statement and dropped his arms back to his sides. Kagome inclined her head in a slight nod, turned around, and took a step back toward the camp. Inu-Yasha surprised her, however, by catching her hand in his and walking beside her. She did not look over at him; instead, she smiled and squeezed his hand.

* * *

_

He loved the memory because it was the closest they ever came to admitting their feelings. Unless you count her unfinished declaration after the final battle. But time had muddled the words; they could have just been his ears playing tricks on him.

But how could he tell Kagome that his favorite memory was comforting her after basically calling her a whore? He knew that was how she would take it, at least.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, he was cut off by a voice he found incredibly annoying.

"Higurashi?"

* * *

_**A/N: I thought it was best to end it there, lest there be no real progress other than the questioning. Also, I used Bedard's idea about remembering the emotions and dulled scenery, so you get a virtual cookie. **_

_**You guys know the drill; press the little button and review! I'm open to any ideas as well.**_


	4. Hobo, Homo, or Hoko?

**_A/N: Yeah, so this is now "two freaking years" and FOUR chapters! Ha!_**

**_I'm just messing around. I promise there will be at least an update twice a month, if not one every week. The only reason this is so late is because I moved into a dorm and it took a while to get the 'net._**

**_Also, I apologize for the mistakes. If there's any glaring error, let me know._**

* * *

****

Kagome guiltily froze as she heard her name, her gaze focusing on the man standing behind Inu-Yasha. "Houjou-san! What're you doing here?"

Houjou's eyes were wide, clearly surprised at finding his girlfriend in a coffee shop. But, when his focus dropped to her hand, she knew she was in trouble. Her eyes dropped to her lap, much like a child would react to being caught with his or her hand caught in the cookie jar.

"How could you, Higurashi?" Houjou gasped, his expression filled with betrayal.

"I'm sorry.. I just couldn't help myself," Kagome mumbled, while Inu-Yasha looked between the two in confusion. _What __in __the__ seven__ hell__s__? Is she not allowed to eat with any other males? Oh well, I guess this is for the best.._ he thought, a smile pulling at his lips.

"You don't have to apologize," Inu-Yasha remarked, leaning against the table to size Houjou up. If he was this jealous, he may be the type to lash out at the other suitor. It would be like swatting flies to the hanyou.

"Yeah, I do," Kagome still looked down, her cheeks burning in both embarrassment and shame. Houjou's eyes bore holes through her, his hurt look remaining perfectly in place. She did not want to have to look at that. "It won't happen again.."

"What?" Inu-Yasha shouted, jumping up from his seat. Victory was so close! She could not vow to this Homo-Hobo-Whatever man that she'd never see the hanyou again!

"I wish I could trust you," Houjou sighed, never once looking away from her hands.

"It was just a slip-up!" Kagome protested, causing Inu-Yasha's right eye to twitch.

"It was a _glazed donut!_ You know how bad those are for your health! I don't want to see you back in the hospital!" Houjou proclaimed, pushing Inu-Yasha out of the way to embrace Kagome in her chair.

"I know.. I'm sorry!" Kagome soothed, her cheek resting against his shoulder. Inu-Yasha's heart-strings tightened until they almost snapped like a cheap guitar's.

_What..?_

"It's okay," Houjou finally said, pulling away to glance at Kagome's eating companion. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Inu-Yasha," Kagome supplied, tilting her head in the hanyou's direction. His right eye still twitched from their antics. It angered him that his coffee date with the schoolgirl of his ancient dreams was ruined because of her love of glazed donuts. Curse that Hobo!

"Pleasure to meet you!" Houjou said, extending his hand to Inu-Yasha. The silver-haired man rumbled deep within his chest, though firmly squeezed his hand during the shake to show dominance. Houjou was oblivious to seeing Inu-Yasha the day before; however, Inu-Yasha suddenly remembered this man a little _too_ well..

* * *

_"So you'll help me study? Thank you so much!" _

_A single, furry ear twitched from hearing Kagome's melodic, soprano squeal. The scent of four strange humans radiated from the window below his spot on the roof. Three he knew to be the annoying girls that followed Kagome around in her era. The fourth, however, happened to be that of a male._

_A male that wanted Kagome to be his woman._

_"Ahh, it's really no trouble, Higurashi! Anything to make your life a little easier," he heard the man—Hobo? Or was it Homo?—declare. If only it was that easy to__ confess such things to Kagome.__ Then, he would be able to just spit it out: Hey, Kagome! Let'__s become mates after Naraku's defeated. I'll stay a hanyou for you because you say you like me just the way I am._

_No. It was nowhere near that simple!_

_"So, once you have the least common denominator, you multiply the top by the opposites, then simplify, right?"_

_"Right! You've got it, Higurashi!"_

_"Houjou is such a great teacher!" Eri crooned, nudging Kagome in the side. Kagome, clad in a white, surgical-looking mask to prevent infection to her friends, laughed somewhat nervously. _

_That was something Inu-Yasha could never be: her teacher, her advisor__, her helper__ He couldn't help her with anything in the crazy era she hailed from. The sounds, the smells,__ and__ the customs all left him baffled.__ He was quick to learn about the various things, such as not allowing anyone to see his ears, and that not many demons still lurked around the "villages."_

_The world changed so much in five hundred years.._

_"And then you for__m it into a triangle like this.__ Higurashi? Are you watching?" Kagome broke into a fit of coughs, causing Inu-Yasha to drop his head down enough to see into the window, his long hair caught in his right hand to keep it from blocking out the setting sun. Houjou held onto Kagome's shoulders, rubbing them gently with furrowed brows, while coughs racked Kagome's delicate frame._

_It took all his self control not to rip those arms off the schoolgirl. Not to mention out of their sockets. _

_"Are you okay, Higurashi?"_

_"Ye-eah, Houjou-kun.. I'm (cough) all.. (cough cough) right!"_

_"You should not push yourself so hard," Houjou warned, his hazel eyes mirroring the concerned devotion he held in his heart. Inu-Yasha ground his teeth from his perch, and then quickly pulled himself back up. Ayumi glanced at the window, a quizzical sound issuing from the back of her throat. Yuka looked over at her friend, head tilted slightly. _

_"Is something wrong, Ayumi?"_

_"Huh? No. I just thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye."_

_This statement brought another fit of coughs from Kagome, fake at first, and then quite real. However, she succeeded at getting their attention from Inu-Yasha._

_The said hanyou twitched atop his post, brooding over the open emotions from the human male below him. For all he knew, Kagome enjoyed that kind of expression. Inu-Yasha himself knew it would be difficult for him to ever reach that point, or if he even would. He learned at an early age that emotions are a weakness. Hell, where did it g__et him with Kikyou? He was open__ and got sealed to a tree for fifty years over it!__ He would much rather not have a repeat of that!_

_Yet, he knew that Kagome would never do that to him, even if her soul once belonged to the woman he loved all those years ago._

_His__ thoughts had derailed considerably; he was supposed to be brooding over the stupid mortal below, not sighing over his love for Kagome! He could not afford to be shown up by that stupid HomoHoboHokoWhatTheFuckEver. _

* * *

"So how do you guys know each other?" Houjou asked, the smile on his face almost swallowing Inu-Yasha. Why was he so happy?

While Kagome stumbled over the proper words, Inu-Yasha covered for her, realizing that a repeat of a door-slam to the face was unneeded. "We're friends from many, many years ago."

"Like childhood friends, huh? Well, you're always welcome at our house, Inu-Yasha!" Houjou declared, his eyes in slits from his expansive smile. The hanyou's eyes suddenly narrowed; when Houjou said his name, there appeared to be an underlying tone. It was like he held some grudge against the hanyou.. Did he remember him from the day before?

The smile was still firmly in place, but the hand cupping Kagome's shoulder was clearly possessive. Perhaps there was more to his stupid-exterior than meets the eye.

"Ah, I forgot my notes at school! Excuse me, Higurashi. Nice to meet you, Inu-Yasha!" Houjou proclaimed as he lightly kissed Kagome's cheek, then headed outside the coffee shop, taking the remnants of the glazed donut with him to prevent further temptation on Kagome's part.

Then again, maybe there isn't anything more to him.

Either way, Inu-Yasha only sighed; his perfect date with Kagome had been ruined. Who knew she'd actually go for Houjou?

"I'm sorry about Houjou-san," she softly muttered, drawing his attention back to the grown schoolgirl. "He just worries too much is all."

"Kagome.. Did you ever talk to your parents about the past?" Inu-Yasha blurted out suddenly, more of an attempt to change the subject from Houjou than anything else. Although, he did wonder if her family forget all about him, too, when the Shikon no Tama was completed. If not, why wouldn't they tell her?

"They just told me that I was so delirious that I must have walked into the well house and fallen in the dry well at our shrine. I didn't feel sick, but Houjou-san assured me that I missed most of my high school years. My grades and records were proof of that.." she trailed off, sighing. Inu-Yasha leaned across the table, his eyes narrowed. It seemed he would have to go to the shrine himself for answers. "I thought I was still fifteen and looking for Buyou," she mumbled, "but I was seventeen and lying in front of the Goshinboku.. It was so strange."

"You haven't really changed," Inu-Yasha assured her. "You're still the same Kagome I knew through those years."

"How sick was I back then?" she asked, her eyes locking with his. The longer she stared into them, the more strikingly golden they seemed. They were so peculiar, his eyes. And his silver hair reminded her of her dream. _Wait! Did I dream about this guy? Oh, __Kami__, it _was_ him, wasn't it? But, why the dog ears?_

"Well, your face is suddenly red. Are you feeling sick now?" he asked, blinking. Kagome was staring at him awfully hard..

The woman in question squeaked, turning redder than his old, fire-rat kimono. "I'm o-okay," she stammered, the subject successfully avoided on both their parts. Mirai was right; there was no way she would believe them right now. Most likely, she would think they were crazy stalkers.

Kagome stared down at her now-empty coffee cup, her hands folded in her lap. She doubted she could look him in those beautiful eyes again. Somehow, it felt so natural.. For the life of her, she wished she could remember him. Why wasn't he around after she forgot?

"I better be getting back.. Houjou-san will be home soon," Kagome finally said, somewhat regretfully.

"I'll walk you back," Inu-Yasha quickly said, standing up with her. She smiled and nodded, the two setting off for her apartment. Kagome almost tripped in the crowd, so Inu-Yasha steadied her by her arm. The contact lasted much longer than necessary, only ceasing once Kagome's flushed face looked up at his own.

"What are your plans tomorrow?" Inu-Yasha asked to fill in the silence.

"I'm going to work at about one," she replied, a smile on her face. It was obvious she enjoyed her occupation, but she always had loved caring for children.

"All right. Kouga wants to spend some time with you that night," he muttered, trying to keep the disgust out of his voice.

"The other tall man with the long, black hair?" she inquired, trying to bring up a mental image. Inu-Yasha nodded. "Okay. I'll be ready by eight." Kagome had not gotten much time to talk to the other man, but if he was a past friend, she was willing to spend time getting to know him again.

Nodding, the hanyou stopped at the foot of her apartment stairs. "I guess this is it," Kagome muttered, almost awkwardly. Somewhere, deep inside of her, a voice screamed _Don't let him leave again!_ The strong feeling baffled the woman.

"Yeah," Inu-Yasha breathed, fidgeting nervously. After a moment of mental-debate, he suddenly surprised both of them by crushing her into a hug. Her small arms and hands cautiously came up to wrap around his torso, while he buried his face into her hair. Even without a heavy inhale, he could smell the same shampoo she had always used in his era. He felt so complete, here in the future with his Kagome. For just a moment, he could pretend it had not been five hundred years since he last saw her every day.. And that he had not spent so much of his life dwelling over a love lost to time. _It was worth every year, just for this.._

Kagome had a strange sensation that she had been in this situation before. While the hanyou could clearly remember embracing her tightly before pushing her back into the well, trying to protect her from her incarnation's fate, all Kagome could remember was the sensation. If she had done this before, she had been so happy and so worried at the same time. He was still bleeding, that idiot!

Her eyes widened. Who had been bleeding? Inu-Yasha? Was _he_ the man that had once held her like this?

As suddenly as the embrace was issued, it was retracted. Inu-Yasha pulled back, his arms going back to his sides. Her gaze was locked at her feet, at her painful high heels. Her head felt like it was spinning! Kagome barely heard his muttered _See you later_ before her knees went out and she found herself sitting on the bottom step.

After a moment of trying to clear her mind, she raised a shaking hand to her cheek, only to find a fat tear clinging to her finger.

* * *

Inu-Yasha trotted back to his house, kicking any rock he saw in his path. Memories swarmed behind his eyes, but memories were all he really had anymore. He was living in the past, almost quite literally. A long, clawed finger traced the outline of the heart-shaped locket beneath his shirt, both of their screaming faces pressed together inside.

It felt so good to hold her like that after so long! Before, he usually only hugged her after she had done something completely reckless and almost gotten killed—usually for his sake—or if she clung to him first. There were several times that came immediately to mind, such as when she rushed into his arms after being sealed away from him, or when he lost his mind to his youkai side.

Tomorrow was sure to be a busy day, however. He planned on going to the Higurashi shrine to see if her family remembered him and go visit Kagome at work. Even if it was agreed that Kouga, Shippou, and he would take turns seeing her, he wanted as much time by her side as he could get. After this long, he felt he deserved it.

He was almost home, when he found a man in his path. The man smiled brightly, drawing a smaller smile from the hanyou. Inu-Yasha just knew his instincts were always right!

"Good to see you again, Inu-Yasha," Houjou said rather tightly, his expression somewhat darker than usual, but still holding the huge, unnerving smile.

"I'll bet it is, Homo-kun," Inu-Yasha sneered the suffix in his name, causing the smile to waver.

"That's Houjou," he corrected patiently, walking to stand close to the hanyou. By now, the crowded sidewalks had dissipated on the Inu-tachi's side of town, leaving them nearly isolated.

"I know," Inu-Yasha smugly replied, clawed hands resting on his hips. "Is there a reason you're this far out of your way?"

"Well, I saw that you weren't with Kagome, so I figured it would be a good time to confront you," Houjou shrugged slightly, the immense smile fading to a regular-sized one. "Stay away from her."

"Do you think saying that will stop me?" the hanyou questioned, an eyebrow disappearing under his thick bangs.

"No, but I'll do whatever it takes to protect what's mine," Houjou snapped, his eyes narrowing. "I know who you are."

This took Inu-Yasha by surprise. "What do you mean you know who I am?" His eyes narrowed in response, leaving them both looking quite comical to any bystanders.

"You're what made Kagome sick! Her jealous, two-timing, violent boyfriend from those two years! Her friends told me your name; you were my competition back then. But, I've won. I was there for her when you weren't, so don't think you can waltz back in here! She doesn't even remember you!" Houjou shouted, his words causing Inu-Yasha to visibly flinch. An old anger rose up inside him, boiling the blood in his veins. In a second, the hanyou had Houjou up by the throat, his feet dangling in mid-air. Surprised, Houjou kicked at his shins, gagging.

"You stupid bastard," Inu-Yasha growled loudly, sounding very much like the demon he was. "You don't know anything! You don't even know Kagome, so don't act like you own her."

Houjou grabbed at Inu-Yasha's wrist and managed to loosen his hold long enough to gasp out, "I guess they were.. right.. you really are.. violent!"

At that, Inu-Yasha dropped the man unceremoniously onto the pavement. Houjou skinned his hands on the rough surface, drawing a hiss from behind his clenched teeth. Despite his sore tail-bone, Houjou leapt to his feet, glaring at the silver-haired man before him. "Stay away from her! She's mine," Houjou warned, before rushing down the sidewalk, back toward his apartment.

Inu-Yasha watched him retreat for a moment, rumbling deep within his chest. _Jealous, two-timing, violent boyfriend..?_ Is that what she told her friends about him?

Still growling, Inu-Yasha abruptly turned, heading back for his house. He'd just take his frustrations out on Shippou in a video game.

* * *

_Silver hair, golden eyes, twitching dog ears.. The man was back, and everything was so bright, despite being a muddled dream._

_"Can't you see?" she heard her own voice escape her lips. Her vision began to swim, blurring the colors together. Even though she could not see the man's expression, she knew it would be forlorn and apologetic. "I promised to be by _your_ side! I'll always be by your side, even when you run off to _her!_ I would never want to be with anyone else!"_

_Upon finishing her speech, she bit her quivering lip to prevent a sob, a small fist pressed against the side of her face. Everything was on the line. This is where he would say, "I don't care. I only care about _her_, not some whore like you."_

_Kagome clenched her eyes tightly together, the thin film of moisture spilling down her flushed cheeks. Why a whore? Why was __knowing__ that so important right now? And, who was the "her"?_

_In a split second, she was crushed up against the man's body, her own arms tangled around him and into his hair, much like she had hugged Inu-Yasha earlier, in reality. She could feel his body against hers, almost shaking, yet she could not hear his voice. It was muffled in her dream-perception. _

_"Don't make a promise you'll easily break," she heard herself say, though had no idea what that promise may be. What did it matter? She was smiling, and that's all that mattered for now. _

_She opened her eyes and peered past the silver tendrils clinging to her damp cheeks. The line of trees seemed so vivid. Why did this man always remind her of the forest? She was always surrounded by trees, while in Tokyo, not many trees were left. You'd have to go to some kind of park for that, but there were never _that_ many trees._

"Higurashi, are you home?" Kagome suddenly realized that she was hearing something outside her dream. Despite her mental protests, she was ripped from the dream and opened her eyes with a groan.

"Y-yes!" she called, rubbing her eyes. She could barely remember the dream now, yet the contentment still hung with her.

"Taking a nap so early?" Houjou asked, leaning against the doorframe. His smile didn't quite match his eyes.

"Yeah, I was kind of warn out," Kagome admitted, before realizing his palms were bleeding. "What happened, Houjou-san?"

Houjou ignored the question, instead advancing into the room. His usually light expression turned dark and serious. "I want you to stay away from Inu-Yasha, Kagome."

* * *

**_A/N: Oh no, Houjou's almost menacing! Good thing both Kagome and Inu-Yasha are much more strong-willed than Houjou, even if he almost means well._**


	5. Tea at the Shrine

**_Disclaimer: See other chapters._**

**_A/N: Is this late? If it is, I had the Fourth to attend to, as well as a English paper I'm trying to research and job interviews. Blah. Oh, and I got questioned if this is going to be long, or wrapped up in five or so more chapters.. I honestly don't know. I would like to make this as long as possible, without drawing it out to where I'm just rambling and don't really have any more story. I'd say there may be more than five more chapters, but I doubt it'll be anything past that, unless I get struck with some brilliant plot._**

* * *

"What?" Kagome breathed out in disbelief, shaking her head slightly in the process, as if she had something obscuring her hearing. She couldn't have heard correctly. Houjou would never tell her to stay away from her friends. He had even invited Inu-Yasha over to their apartment! 

"Stay away from him, Kagome. He's a bad man," Houjou reiterated, stepping closer to the disoriented ex-miko. The way he had suddenly started calling her by her first name, rather than her family name, unnerved her. In all her years of knowing Houjou, he had always referred to her as "Higurashi." In a way, it was very respectful, very proper, very Houjou.

"Inu-Yasha is not a 'bad man.' I would have never been his friend before if he was a 'bad man.'" Kagome protested, earning her a frown from Houjou. In fact.. it was the first frown she had _ever_ received from Houjou.

"You don't remember him. You don't know what he was, or is," Houjou snapped, stepping forward into the room. Kagome's eyes turned hard, and an unfamiliar anger erupted inside her. How dare he snap at her! Houjou _never_ took a tone with her. Pushing the warm blanket from her torso, she slid off the bed. Houjou stepped forward, his eyes hard and stubborn. Kagome's gaze mirrored his.

"_You're_ the one that doesn't know him!" she proclaimed, jabbing a finger in his chest. He was taken aback by her attitude and stumbled slightly. Kagome was not usually this way to him.. In fact, in her world of chaotic dreams and nightmares, as well as years missing from her memories, she had eagerly clung to Houjou. It was Houjou she remembered; she had gone to school with him almost all her life!

He could still remember walking into the shrine that fateful day, to bestow upon his lovely Kagome some ointment for her oozing sores. Instead, he was met with her disgruntled, hysterical state. She had thrown herself at him, remembering only vaguely knowing him as the popular boy that occasionally helped her study in the early years of middle school. As she sobbed, he had assured her that he was, in fact, dating her and would be there for her no matter what. Seeing his smile, as well as the later encouragement of her friends, she believed that they were happily in love. Even if she sometimes flinched at his touch or turned her head when he went to kiss her, she had only ever acted in a submissive nature toward him, always taking her vitamins and eating only the healthiest of foods. No more WacDonalds for Kagome, no sirree. And, through all these restrictions, she had never fought with him. She had only nodded, knowing she must be _really_ sick to lose her memories. Yet, here he was, trying to put another restriction on her _for __her own__ good, _while she fought against him for once. Couldn't she see he only wanted what was best for her? He kept her from being ill!

While Houjou took a trip down memory lane, Kagome blinked, seeing his glazed-over expression. He looked utterly shocked that she would stand up to him. Still glaring, she poked him in the chest again, forcefully pushing him backwards. "And you will _not_ tell me who I can or cannot befriend."

"I will when it comes to him!" Houjou snapped back into reality, grabbing her wrist. The way that she snapped backwards, automatically breaking the contact, made him flinch.

"What's gotten into you?" she asked, exasperated and beyond angry. Of course he knew she was stubborn; she always came to take tests and participate in school activities even when she was ill! When Kagome's mind was made up, it was made up. It was one of the many things he loved about her.. Only when it was not being turned on him.

"I just.. He's bad news, Higurashi!" Houjou stammered, sounding much like a broken record stuck in an endless loop. He had heard everything from her friends. Eri and Yuka had encouraged him to date Kagome, pleading for someone to take her away from her "jealous, two-timing, violent" boyfriend. The girls told him of the other suitors she had, such as a man that would willingly shout his love for her from the mountain tops. Her boyfriend was extremely jealous of him, they had recalled, and even accused her of having _relations_ with the man behind his back! Kagome Higurashi was no cheater, and Houjou knew it! There was even a man who wanted her to have his children. What kind of men did Kagome know while she was sick? It was absurd to say the least.

The main reason Houjou loathed the golden-eyed man, however, was the pain the girls said Kagome went through because of his indecision. His ex-girlfriend or Kagome? That seemed to be the major question on the man's mind. He would even stoop to meeting with his ex behind Kagome's back, only to have her later stumbled upon the two, who were often embracing or worse.

Ayumi was the only one who was seemingly oblivious to the troubles in that relationship. While the other two relayed the horror stories and pleaded with him to give Kagome more of his affection, Ayumi clasped her hands together and interrupted them, saying, "They must really be in love. Kagome-chan looks so happy most of the time. I just know everything will work out, without further complications." The dreamy air of her voice was light, but the implication quite evident: Don't meddle in Kagome's love-life and mind your own business! They had all laughed nervously at Ayumi, who only smiled brightly back.

Would things have really worked themselves out? Houjou doubted it; this was the first time he had seen Inu-Yasha around Kagome since the school's Culture Festival. If he did not care enough to come for her when the illness _really_ took its toll on her, then he was unworthy. Higurashi was Houjou's woman now.

"Why do you keep saying that, Houjou?" Kagome shouted the query, dropping the suffix from his name. He visibly flinched, his expression softening. He knew he shouldn't fight with her like this.. What if she got sick again? He was not like her ex-boyfriend; he would take care of her!

When all she received was silence, Kagome grabbed a pillow from the bed and shoved it into his chest. He automatically understood and hung his head, resigned to his fate.

He was sleeping on the couch tonight.

* * *

"Where are you going, Inu-Yasha?" Mirai asked from his spot on the couch, controller hanging loosely from his hand. The hanyou in question paused in the hallway, the hat clutched in his claws dangling about an inch or so from his furry dog ears. 

"I've just got some stuff to do," he muttered, finally bringing down the hat to crush his ears against his skull. By now, he had gotten used to the sensation of his hearing being slightly dulled by the cotton.

"What kind of 'stuff'?" Miroku's ancestor inquired, putting an extra emphasis on the last word. The hanyou only groaned, turning around to face the young boy.

"I'm going to the shrine, and I want to go alone, so I don't freak out her family, he simply stated, his true meaning clear. If Shippou and Kouga tagged along, Kagome's family would probably think them to be odd. That is, if they did not remember him.

"Oh." Mirai nodded, though he seemed clearly disappointed that he would be left in the house again. Inu-Yasha focused on the controller in his hand, suddenly remembering how Kagome's little brother loved video games. Although he was a bit older now, he was still close to Mirai's age. Maybe he still enjoyed video games, too.

"Would you like to come?" Inu-Yasha asked, turning back around and starting for the door, not really expecting an answer. Mirai enthusiastically agreed, leaping from the couch and scrambling after his main guardian. Together, they set off for the shrine.

* * *

"It should be right down here.." Inu-Yasha mumbled to himself, more to quell the uncertainty of the situation than remember the directions. No, hundreds of years had not muddled his memories; in fact, he passed the shrine regularly, though never approached it, knowing Kagome was not there. Though, the thought of seeing his younger self.. Well, that had all four of the companions staying on the other side of Tokyo. They just could not risk changing the past and not ever knowing Kagome. 

Upon reaching the stairs that lead up to the red Shinto gate, Inu-Yasha paused, taking in a deep breath. Mirai almost ran into him as he suddenly stopped, too busy gazing up at all the steps they would be forced to trek up to notice the hanyou had stopped. "Impressive.. Were there things like this in Sengoku Jidai?" the boy asked, already climbing the steps. Inu-Yasha inclined his head in a nod, following.

"Yeah, there was one like this in the Mushin Domain.. Well, the steps and gate, at least. We didn't have shrines this big."

"It must've been a shock, huh?" Mirai inquired, still staring at the intriguing red gate.

"Huh?"

"Coming from an era of so little and so much war, to a place like this. I'm sure it'll be an even bigger difference in five-hundred more years, if you live that long."

"Oh, yeah," Inu-Yasha absently replied, blinking at Mirai's contemplative state. It has always been times like these that the hanyou saw Miroku's blood running through the boy. There was always the Nature v. Nurture argument, but in this case, Mirai was nurtured by three demons that happened to like teaching him all about the past they once called their home, so very long ago. It was amazing they remembered as much as they did, though Mirai always contributed it to their daily reminiscing and reading of the history books. When questioned on the matter, they always replied that they never wanted to forget the era of demons.

When the pair reached the top of the stairs, the hanyou immediately spotted a familiar, albeit older, face. Not that age showed much on this man anymore..

"Hey.." Inu-Yasha mumbled once he was standing before the elderly man with the broom, unsure of how to go about the delicate inquiry. What was he supposed to say? _Hey, old man! Do you remember me? Huh? Do __ya__? I took your little granddaughter with me through an old well to fight evil! I'm a demon myself, but you should already know that, if you remember? Well? __Do __ya_

The old man blinked, no trace of recognition in his gaze. "Can I help you? I'm afraid the shrine is not open for tours at the moment, but if you're looking for a good luck charm—"

"Do you still have any replicas of the Shikon no Tama?" Mirai suddenly asked, a plan forming in his calculated head. He could have sworn some of his school friends had gotten tiny pink and blue marbles from this shrine, a tag reading _Shikon__ no Tama_ attached.

"As a matter of fact, we do!" Gramps happily proclaimed, excited at the prospect of getting to sell one of the hundred of Shikon no Tama replicas he had in storage. "Right this way."

"Do you know its origin?" Mirai continued on, both males following after Gramps, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Its history dates back to over five hundred years ago, Sengoku Jidai. It is said to grant any wish, though many demons sought it to become more powerful—"

"Did you say demons?" the boy asked, seemingly shocked. Inu-Yasha shot him a sideways glance, surprised at how good his acting was. Of course, he _did_ travel with Miroku, who was always able to pull off an act of _Oh, Look! An ominous cloud hanging over your castle and/or inn! I'll exorcize it in exchange for a room. No need to thank me, really._

"Yes, there were demons back then. Maybe there still are."

"Have you ever seen one? Perhaps one with strange ears?"

Gramps fumbled with a box full of pink marbles, hitting the edge of the cardboard against the wooden shelf in the storage area. Inu-Yasha jolted forward, catching the side with ease. For a while, the two stared at one another over the box, Gramps with an odd expression on his face. The hanyou's golden eyes stared right back.

"Here's the replica," the old man mumbled, pulling it out of the box to dangle before the boy. "That'll be five-hundred yen."

As Mirai fished some yen from his pocket, Inu-Yasha suddenly blurted, "Don't you remember, old man?"

"Excuse me, that is very disrespectful," Gramps retorted. Sighing, Inu-Yasha yanked the hat off his head, pulling his silver hair from the ponytail at the nape of his neck in the process. As his ears sprung up and his hair flowed in a long mane to his rear, the old "holy man" gasped. "Y-you're.."

"Inu-Yasha-no-ni-chan!" a voice called from behind them. Of course, this voice belonged to none other than Kagome's little brother, Souta, who had grown somewhat taller since the last time the hanyou had seen him, and his voice had deepened slightly. As both sized each other up, noticing the differences years had given them, Gramps stared wide-eyed at the hanyou's ears.

"Where have you been?" Souta asked sadly. "Kagome has—"

"I know. I've already talked to her," Inu-Yasha interrupted, stuffing his hands in his pockets, a gesture he had taken up once there were no more kimono sleeves for him to stuff them in. "She doesn't remember.. But you all do. Why didn't you tell her?"

"There's no way she would have believed she was fighting demons for two years!" Gramps declared, coming around to face the hanyou. The glazed-over look in his eyes showed that the decision the family had made weighed heavily on his conscious. "At least this way, she got to have a normal life, without distressing over not being able to time travel!"

"Inu-no-ni-chan.." Souta started, resting a hand on his former hero's shoulder. "It wouldn't have made sense to tell Kagome 'For the last two years, you fought evil demons to save feudal Japan by traveling through the mystical dry well.' She would have thought she was nuts!"

"I guess.. You're right.." Inu-Yasha sighed heavily, accepting that they were trying to look out for the terrified schoolgirl. At least this way, she got to have a normal life, which would have been taken away from her otherwise.

Even though.. he was trying to take away that normal life right now.

"Why not come in for some tea?" Gramps suggested, already walking back to the shrine. Inu-Yasha and Mirai nodded, following after, Souta bringing up the rear.

* * *

"So, then, we bought the house closer to here. Before, we spent seventeen years living on the other side of town. Before that, we traveled often, seeing the sights, though we always tried to keep close to Miroku's ancestors." 

"So, then, you're the descendant of a powerful houshi?" Gramps inquired, seated across from the young boy. Mirai nodded, though his gaze kept drifting to Souta's PlayStation 3 set up in the living room.

"Yeah.. My parents died in a car crash, so I'm living with three demons now. Miroku has other blood lines, but they live throughout Japan, and I would rather not change schools.."

"Oh my. I'm very sorry to hear that," Kagome's mother said solemnly, though she didn't think Inu-Yasha would make it very hard on the boy. After all, he had stayed with Shippou, who Kagome claimed was like her surrogate son.

"Doesn't matter," Mirai responded. Souta finally noticed his gaze and nudged him, tilting his head toward the next room.

"Wanna play it?"

"Boy, do I!" And with that, the two boys left the room, leaving Inu-Yasha with Kagome's mother and grandfather.

"I'm so glad to see you back in her life, Inu-Yasha.. Houjou-san is such a nice boy.. but.."

"Keh! Nice? He told me to stay away from her," Inu-Yasha admitted, propping his cheek up in his right palm. Mrs. Higurashi quickly noticed that although the hanyou still retained the same trademark features, he _had_ aged a bit in five hundred years. He looked more mature, with the same hard as she imagined his father may have once had after looking into the very depths of Hell itself several times over. His clothing was also much more adapted; she would have never thought she would lay eyes on the hanyou _willingly_ wearing shoes.

"I hope you won't listen to him," she simply stated, drawing an _Of course not_! from Inu-Yasha. "Kagome's memories may return if you stay around her.. Then maybe you can be there to tell her she's not crazy.. That it happened."

"Whatever happened to the Shikon no Tama?" Gramps suddenly asked, remembering that the replica was still in his pocket from earlier.

"I have it," he replied, digging out a small box from his pocket. He had picked it up the day he went to see Kagome for the first time, intent on showing her and happily telling her of how they protected it all these years. Taking it from the box, he held it up for the two to gaze upon it in all of its completed glory.

"Wait.. isn't it supposed to glow? That's what the legends say, and Kagome's shards could glow!" Gramps blinked.

"It has not shown a bit of light since that day.. When Kagome disappeared. I don't know why.." Inu-Yasha admitted. It had always puzzled him, but he assumed when Kagome was back with him, the light would return. After all, it was still not purified completely! No one had made a wish, to his knowledge.

"What happened that day? We figured the well was sealed, but.. Do you still remember?"

"Yeah," he almost chuckled. "I do."

* * *

Kagome bandaged a small child's arm almost absentmindedly, still almost steaming over Houjou calling Inu-Yasha "bad news." No one that determined to see her _could_ be "bad news"! She always prided herself on being a good judge of character.. Though, she _did_ tend to only see the good in people. And, she _had_ thought of him as a sick kidnapper.. 

But, once she realized that he really did know her before, she knew he wasn't bad. It was much more than that, though.. It was like she was remembered him, somewhere deep down. The woman was unable to place where, or even if the sensation was real, but she clung desperately to it despite her uncertainty.

"Ow, that's a little too tight, 'gome.." her patient, a small girl named Hikari, whispered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Forgive me?" Kagome snapped back into reality and loosened the bandage as Hikari nodded. _This is not the place for those thoughts, Kagome! _she mentally chided, forcing a reassuring smile for the girl. She really loved children, even though she had barely been around them to her knowledge before she got the job. Kagome even favored Hikari over the others.. Her red hair and bright, green eyes made Kagome feel a little more complete, for some reason.

"Of course!" Hikari proclaimed, inspecting the bandage now around her arm. The little girl was small and frail; she had a very weak immune system, causing her to often get hospitalized or injured. This time, she had tripped while walking outside and hurt her arm along the sidewalk.

"Be more careful, okay?" Kagome ruffled up Hikari's hair, drawing another nod from the girl. "I have to go check on the others, but I'll be back to bring you some dinner, okay?"

"Okay! Thanks!"

Kagome waved her hand in a _No problem_ gesture, already walking out the door, eyes on her chart. The next child was a boy hospitalized for his injures in a car crash. His older, teenaged sister had not made it, however, causing emotional instability in the boy. Kagome's heart went out to siblings torn apart by death. It made her angry at Fate itself; she couldn't comprehend the need for this kind of suffering.

As she continued to skim down the chart, she saw a number of new patients, as well, all either injured or ill. It was going to be a long day, but at least it got her mind off a certain silver-haired man with golden eyes.

_And dog ears.. Can't forget the dog ears._

Kagome stopped suddenly.

_Wait.. what?_

Shaking her head, Kagome turned into the boy's room, blaming her irrational thoughts on her lack of sleep lately.

* * *

_As Kagome faded away in thin air, __Inu-Yasha could faintly hear the startled gasps from his comrades. However, the sounds seemed muffled, as if through several layers of cotton, since all his senses were focused on the fading pigments of pink light where his schoolgirl once stood. Her unfinished declaration was a mantra in his mind, though he knew, had Fate permitted her another fraction of a second, everyone would have heard her true feelings._

_As if they didn't already know. Hell, he already knew._

_"I love you, too.." he whispered to the wind, his golden eyes shining as moisture began to collect around the rims. The wolf was already in his face, fists balled in his fire-rate kimono, snarling._

_"What did you do with Kagome, Inu-koro? Answer me! Where's my __woh__-man?"_

_Inu-Yasha, however, gave no sign of noticing the wolf's growling questions, his gaze fixed on the spot where Kagome once stood. His tanned hand still loosely cupped the once-vibrant jewel, which rolled along his skin every time he was shaken by the wolf prince. _

_"Kagome-chan.." Sango mumbled, her voice watery and tight. Today, she had lost two siblings.. Her brother, Kohaku, and a woman she had come to consider part of her family, Kagome. Miroku wrapped his arms tighter around the __taijiya__, allowing her to sob freely into his shoulder. His right hand, now __kazanna__-free, __lightly rubbed over her back. In the background, __Shippou__ wailed his surrogate mother's name to the heavens, clinging to __Kirara's__ smaller form. _

_"Where _did_ Nee-san go?" Hakkaku directed the question__to Miroku, both his and __Ginta's__ eyes wide._

_"Kagome-__sama__ was not of this world," Miroku stated loud enough for Kouga to hear, causing the demon to release his hold on the spaced-out hanyou. _

_"What do you mean?" Kouga asked, confused and frightened for "his __woh__-man's" safety._

_"He means that she was from the future," Inu-Yasha whispered, the humans almost unable to hear him speak._

_"Oh. Wait. What?" Ginta asked, blinking._

_"Kagome-__sama__ traveled through a well to journey with us. Her true home is five hundred years in the future, which is why her clothes were so much different than ours. They were what she called a '__skool__ uniform'."_

_"Why was she here?" Kouga's head was spinning. The woman he loved was from the future? Five hundred years in the future? What?_

_"She is the reincarnation of Kikyou-__sama__," Miroku replied with a glance to the hanyou. Surprisingly, the said man did not glance over to the __miko__ robes in distance, but instead remained rooted to the spot, staring at where Kagome once stood. Though he seemed upset, he did not look completely shocked, as if he had __guessed it might happen. "Kikyou-__sama__ once guarded the __Shikon__ no Tama, and took it to her grave. Kagome, however, was born with it inside of her body. It was ripped out by a centipede demon that happened to pull her through the well, into our time. Is my version correct, Inu-Yasha?"_

_"Yeah." _

Okay, so he's listening_ Miroku realized, his heart going out to his friend. Both of his loves were taken from him in a single day, even if Kikyou was completely in his past. He knew it must still hurt to gaze upon the tattered remains of her kimono._

_"So, she's gone back to her own world, then?" Kouga speculated, now pacing back and forth in front of his two best friends. Miroku nodded._

_"It would appear her duty has been fulfilled, so I suppose she was returned to her own time. But one thing does trouble me." He paused for a moment, causing Inu-Yasha to finally focus his gaze on the __houshi__. Miroku stared at the inactive jewel in the hanyou's hand. "Why is the __Shikon no Tama inactive, unless a wish has been made?"_

* * *

Inu-Yasha shook his head rather violently, almost bashing it into a nearby pole in the process. Relaying the past's events to the Higurashi family had him remembering that day a little too clearly for his liking. Out of all the memories of their mission and their travels, it was that day he would not miss that much if it was forgotten. But, no, the gods did not smile upon the hanyou. Instead, he was punished and forced to remember every detail of their final battle, even the aftermath. 

_Keh__! If only I could have said the words back then, before she disappeared.._

But the past was in the past quite literally for him, and his present happened to be just inside the hospital before him. Five hundred years ago, when he time-traveled to this era, his senses were overwhelmed. He could still smell Kagome, then, but he often had to return to his more primitive dog-instincts and sniff the ground to catch her scent. Now, he had hundreds of years to adjust to the powerful smells and was able to smell her scent lingering around the area. She was just inside the enormous building.

Mirai was back at the Higurashi shrine, playing Souta's PS3. Although Inu-Yasha was not supposed to see her—they had all decided to see her one at a time, after all—he felt he could not stay away. Not after five hundred years of waiting. Besides, it was not like he would get to hang around her long while she was working. He knew the concepts of a job quite well, despite rarely taking jobs himself, besides occasional extermination and occasionally a construction job here or there. It was much easier to just sell off antiques they had been smart enough to store away throughout years and years of traveling.

As he stepped through an automatic door, however, his nose was greeted with a smell he found rather unpleasant. It was one that made his piercing golden eyes narrow and a growl gather deep within his chest.

Houjou.

* * *

_**A/N: I just wanted to say that I know some of you probably follow the manga and know very well that Kikyou will not perish in the final battle, as depicted in this fic. But, I started this over two years ago, as you know, so that chapter was not around then. Because of that, I went along with the original plot, rather than go back and change it. It made things clearer anyway.**_

_**Oh, and I find out if I get a job at Blockbuster today, so cross your fingers!**_


End file.
